Opinion on the NCL Brand

[CruisingUS]

How do you view the NCL Brand?

 

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

 

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

 

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you check out first when booking a cruise?

 

Feel free to be honest and veer off topic. I will chime in after seeing some of your response so that I don't bias the responses.

Edited July 3, 2017 by CruisingUS

[KeithJenner]

I am relatively brand loyal, although I have no particularly strong feelings about the brands I use. My loyalty stems from convenience more than anything. When I was younger I had very little brand loyalty at all, but nowadays I appreciate the benefits of familiarity, whether that be the fact that my electronics all works well together, or that when we travel we know what we are getting. We enjoy seeing new places, so it's nice to have a bit of familiarity as well.

 

We first used NCL due to freestyle, back when it was a bigger difference from what other lines offered than is the case now. Traditional dining and formal nights put us off cruising for years, and NCL at the time offered an option that appealed to us.

 

Nowadays we enjoy the familiarity of the onboard experience, whilst they have managed to keep us onboard by offering some new itineraries so that we are still visiting new ports. Looking for new itineraries is the most likely thing that will cause us to move lines.

 

As for what I think of the NCL brand. I don't really care. I have always been happy with the food, service and value. Entertainment isn't particularly important, but the little we do see is fine. We don't cruise for the entertainment.

 

We are lucky in that the value is still there for us. Overall cost of the cruises has changed very little for us. I know that isn't the case for many people, but it works for us. I am yet to see exactly how the all inclusive that has been introduced in the UK will effect value. It certainly looks like it will increase prices, but I've been expecting that due to the exchange rate movements in the last year.

[BirdTravels]

How do you view the NCL Brand?

The brand is investing in trying to satisfy the interests of the contemporary cruise passenger. Trying to lead the way in the cruise industry. Not bogged down with the "good ole days" of cruising.

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

The food is good (not outstanding), but I also acknowledge that they have to put out 4000+ guest and 1600+ crew meals, 3 times a day. There is a difference in your approach when you are doing 200 covers a night at your local restaurant and 5600+ covers on the ship.

Entertainment: NCL is trying to bring Broadway entertainment to their ships. I would rather see a couple of Broadway shows a week than the older variety shows with the not-funny comedian and half-decent magician.

 

Value: Good value for money.

Service: NCL focuses on FreeStyle cruising. Letting guests eat, see shows, and do what they want, when they want. Much preferred over fixed seating times. That, necessarily, means that you get less personalized service. You don't have your same waiter every night. You are doing more things on your own,,,, which is great for us.

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

Midlevel cruise line. We are Platinum Plus members on NCL and Platinum Members on Cunard (opposite end of the spectrum) and lesser tiers on other lines.

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you check out first when booking a cruise?

FreeStyle Cruising. On other lines, we are packing gowns and tuxes. On NCL, we pack summer dresses and polo shirts. We alternate between lines, but would not hesitate booking an NCL cruise.

Feel free to be honest and veer off topic. I will chime in after seeing some of your response so that I don't bias the responses.

 

Hope you book on NCL soon!

[Ox Fan Cruiser]

let me state my baseline.

still new to cruising. 4 on Celebrity, 1 on Princess & 1 on NCL.

I see NCL in 3rd place. X in 1st with Princess a close 2nd.

Our NCL cruise was a family cruise on Breakaway in Dec 2014.

Disappointed that it didn't offer FREE nightly shows in the main theater. I did like the club entertainment. Dueling Pianos being my fav. NOT a fan of free style dining. Not having the same wait-staff each night drops the quality. Balcony's were very small.

So after all that, one would think I would never sail NCL again. Not so. We just booked a Transatlantic on Breakaway for April. Leaving from NYC is easy for us. Sunday departure / commute is a breeze. If Bliss would have arrived on a weekend we would have done the West bound TA on Bliss. IMVHO Breakaway's TA has better port calls than Bliss. Why is it sailing to Nova Scotia (too far North) that time of year? Bermuda would have been better.

Our last cruise was a TA on Celebrity Eclipse in April. Great way to relax with the long leg of sea days. If Celebrity was leaving out of NYC for a TA I would have booked with them. Living in Patriots Nation (Go Tom Brady) not having to fly to Florida made the difference to me.

[Oldgoat61]

We started cruising NCL because of freestyle dining. I wouldn't have it any other way, and most lines have incorporated a version of "freestyle" because it was so popular, and unique. We would like to veer off course and try other lines (RCCL).

 

I would say that the food is fine, not many dishes that stick in your head and you have to go back for more.

 

The service is very good, the entertainment can be spotty (it depends on the ship), and the mix of people on board.

 

We like the itineraries, and have gone on most that have sparked our interest. But this is a reason we would like to try another line.

 

But at the end of the day, we still are loyal to NCL, although I will say their prices have gone up, but overall cruise experience has not changed.

 

 

[mugtech]

We have done Hawaii, Panama Canal, Alaska, Caribbean out of San Juan, Bermuda, Bahamas twice, and Grand Med on NCL. Liked all the ships, Gem is our favorite. The only reason we are going with RCCL is because NCL has nothing scheduled for 2018 in Asia or Australia after 4/28/18. Been on RCCL before, found it very similar to NCL as we are inside cabin people, glad they have loosened up with their anytime dining. Entertainment a little better on NCL,food quality about the same, RCCL has better soups. We are itinerary driven, so the other stuff is just details.

[TNcruising02]

How do you view the NCL Brand?

 

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

 

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

 

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you check out first when booking a cruise?

 

Feel free to be honest and veer off topic. I will chime in after seeing some of your response so that I don't bias the responses.

 

I think NCL has a good brand. I've only been on one NCL cruise so far. It was the Getaway and I really liked it. I was a bit surprised about making reservations for shows, but now that I know that the shows require reservations I will be prepared. None of the other cruises I have been on required reservations for shows.

 

I thought the entertainment on the Getaway was great and I liked the adult area. The cruise director was very good too. I liked the food. I think of NCL as mid tier, not cheap, but not something out of my price range either.

 

I am going on another NCL cruise this September on the Escape. I like variety, so I am not loyal to one cruise line. It seems like many of the lines have things I like about them and things I don't. Plus, I like to have new experiences and explore different ships. Each cruise line is different, so it's fun to mix it up. I can't see myself sticking to just one line.

[zqvol]

My question is who does OP work for? This is certainly a troll type post.

[qoap24]

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

I haven't cruised NCL since Fall 2015, but at that time I would say food in MDR-ok

I think NCL entertainment is really good. I enjoy most shows.

I have had good service and not so good service on NCL, but that is true with the other lines I have cruised on, so I guess I am neutral on service.

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

I would consider NCL mid tier, but I guess I really don't know if I have been on a low end cruise line.

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you

check out first when booking a cruise?

Originally when I first cruised with NCL it was due to price, as we got a really good deal. After that first cruise on the Star, my family and I fell in love with NCL. May 2016, we decided to give RCCL a try again (price was good for that trip) and although we enjoyed the MDR more, we felt really disappointed with the rest of the cruise and decided to come back to NCL.

[SeekingKillerWhales!]

My question is who does OP work for? This is certainly a troll type post.

I kindof agree. 😀 If you want my time for a focus group, please plan on compensation. 😉

 

Sent from my XT1650 using Forums mobile app

[CruisingUS]

How do you view the NCL Brand?

 

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

 

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

 

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you check out first when booking a cruise?

 

Feel free to be honest and veer off topic. I will chime in after seeing some of your response so that I don't bias the responses.

 

 

For reference, I have sailed the most with NCL, but I have also been on RCCL and CCL. I will be going on X next year.

 

 

I think the brand isn't as well known as carnival or RCCL. I personally think that NCL brand that it is a very modern CL, starting with the whole freestyle cruising style that was initiated years ago. Their ships are relatively new with a lot of new technology with a very modern decorum.

 

 

I think that it is a mid tier CL. I would lump them in the same tier as RCCL, but not CCL. I wouldn't call it a luxury cruise line, but I would say that there are luxury experiences if you are willing to pay.

 

 

The food is good. There is a wide variety of average food that is included in the price. I am satisfied. The MDR is good. The steaks could be better w/o an upcharge. I would rather they shrink the variety and inc the quality of their food, but I understand that a wider variety caters to more people. I am not a fan of the buffet, but I do like the Indian food. That was a pleasant surprise. IDK how the specialty restaurants are.

 

 

The broadway type shows I think are better than RCCL and A LOT better than CCL's humor.

 

 

I think CCL has a lot more fun party atmosphere and their dance clubs makes NCL's club look rather pathetic. The exception is that I do like the glow party. Other than that, it is dismal quite honestly.

 

 

I feel that there are a lot of events that go on every day on the ship. I don't ever feel bored. I feel there is a wide variety of things to do that caters to a wide variety of people. I also feel that others can relax on the cruise in public areas.

 

 

I like the value that NCL offers. It strikes a happy balance for me where it is not as affordable as CCL, but the food and entertainment are at a high enough level to where it hits the sweet spot.

 

 

I think the service on NCL is worst than CCL and RCCL. The automatic service charge makes the people working on there seem very disinterested or standoffish at best and entitled at worst imo. I often tip extra in order change their attitude. Afterward, they are much more willing to help.

 

 

I cannot comment on how NCL is for kids. I have not stayed in the Haven. I cannot speak on the spa.

 

 

In conclusion, I like NCL. I will be going to a NCL cruise in the future when I have more vacation time. I really like the freestyle cruising. I like the freedom to come and go as I please. I like the freedom to eat in the MDR at any time w/o a set time. The general sense of flexibility that appeals to me over other CL.

 

Things to improve are customer service and quality of food.

[Zeno]

How do you view the NCL Brand?

 

It's fine. But I don't get obsessed with "brands". I cruise for the itinerary at the price I am willing to pay. I have been on

cheap cruises and NCL, Holland America and Windstar. ONLY Windstar was exceptional and that was reflected in the price.

 

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

Food - fine for us

Entertainment and Shows - mostly a cut above HAL and Windstar

Value - decent value for the price paid

Service - not to the level of Windstar but certainly as good as HAL. It was fine for us.

 

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

- mid tier

 

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you check out first when booking a cruise?

In the beginning, we chose it in part for the Freestyle concept (dressing up not required, dine when you want). Now our choice in cruise line is as I said above based on itinerary and price. We tend to avoid mega-ships - they just don't interest us.

 

I think in the end all mid-range cruise lines now offer similar experiences - so frankly I don't see the point in "brand loyalty".

[CruisingUS]

It's fine. But I don't get obsessed with "brands". I cruise for the itinerary at the price I am willing to pay. I have been on

cheap cruises and NCL, Holland America and Windstar. ONLY Windstar was exceptional and that was reflected in the price.

 

 

Food - fine for us

Entertainment and Shows - mostly a cut above HAL and Windstar

Value - decent value for the price paid

Service - not to the level of Windstar but certainly as good as HAL. It was fine for us.

 

- mid tier

 

 

In the beginning, we chose it in part for the Freestyle concept (dressing up not required, dine when you want). Now our choice in cruise line is as I said above based on itinerary and price. We tend to avoid mega-ships - they just don't interest us.

 

I think in the end all mid-range cruise lines now offer similar experiences - so frankly I don't see the point in "brand loyalty".

I don't advocate for brand loyalty. I was just wondering what others thought about NCL. Most of my friends have sailed with CCL and RCCL. They have a lot of opinions based on their experiences. But I literally have yet to run into another person irl that has sailed with NCL...and I have lived in multiple states across multiple time zones. Hence hearing other's opinions are interesting for me.

 

And availability and pricing are the main factors that I use to book.

[SeaShark]

I was just wondering what others thought about NCL.

 

If you really want to know what people think about NCL wouldn't it be easier to just jump over to the review section of the forum and read the thousands of available reviews that will let you know just what they think??

 

Seems like you might be asking a question that has already been answered.

[graphicguy]

Not sure any of these cruise lines are "brand focused". Disney is, as their brand carries all the focus Disney cultivates in all of their products, and are "kid focused". From what I can tell, you pay for that Disney brand when you cruise, whether it means anything to you or not.

 

Regardless of where you see these cruise lines as "tiered" (not sure I quite understand that question, either), they all offer something a bit unique from each other.

 

CCL is pretty broadly focused on appealing to the largest cross section of people as they can.

 

RCCL (which I'm sailing end of this month) really seems to focus on having unique attractions (i.e. robotic bartenders, elevator bar, surfing simulators, etc).

 

NCL sort of straddles the mainstream and luxury (with the Haven). Entertainment is the best out of all the cruise lines I've sailed. They pioneered the "Freestyle" concept and do it well. That said, the others have followed suit in not requiring rigid dining times or dress codes (these are good things).

 

Even though they only have one ship sailing out of North America at this time, MSC offers a unique cruise experience, too. IT's more international in look and feel. I liked it. They should be on everyone's list to try at some point.

 

I know there are some who are loyal to one cruise line. Personally, I feel they miss out on what the others offer. That's why I've never had any desire to be loyal to one cruise line.

[Barb Nahoumi]

We cruise NCL because we like it, the convenience of being able to cruise out of Boston-------no flying. Ncl is adding other itineraries from Boston, such as a 14 day Caribbean which we are considering for next October. Yes, Boston's ship is currently the Dawn, and has been for quite some time. However, she underwent a multi-million dollar drydock last year, and now looks lovely.

 

We like the freestyle of doing what we want when we want to do it. We leave the formalwear at home, in the closet.

 

The food is very good, and one has the choice of the many specialty restaurants, MDRs, buffet, O'Sheehans, or room-service. service is good, and there are choices for entertainment. I don't always go to the main productions in the Stardust, if there is music I'd rather enjoy in the smaller venues. On the Jewel or Dawn class ships, reservations are not necessary for the shows. Just get there early for a good seat.

 

On the whole, NCL has a good solid mid-tier product, which is very family oriented. There is something to do for all ages. Children are welcome, and from what I hear, they enjoy the kids clubs. I never cruised with kids.

 

The longer cruises attract a mixed crowd, with many seniors who have the time. We like those cruises because 7 days zip by too fast. Of Course, our favorite destination is Bermuda, even though it is only a 7 day cruise.

 

We'd love to see Boston become a year-round port, just as New York is.

[Barb Nahoumi]

Not sure any of these cruise lines are "brand focused". Disney is, as their brand carries all the focus Disney cultivates in all of their products, and are "kid focused". From what I can tell, you pay for that Disney brand when you cruise, whether it means anything to you or not.

 

Regardless of where you see these cruise lines as "tiered" (not sure I quite understand that question, either), they all offer something a bit unique from each other.

 

CCL is pretty broadly focused on appealing to the largest cross section of people as they can.

 

RCCL (which I'm sailing end of this month) really seems to focus on having unique attractions (i.e. robotic bartenders, elevator bar, surfing simulators, etc).

 

NCL sort of straddles the mainstream and luxury (with the Haven). Entertainment is the best out of all the cruise lines I've sailed. They pioneered the "Freestyle" concept and do it well. That said, the others have followed suit in not requiring rigid dining times or dress codes (these are good things).

 

Even though they only have one ship sailing out of North America at this time, MSC offers a unique cruise experience, too. IT's more international in look and feel. I liked it. They should be on everyone's list to try at some point.

 

I know there are some who are loyal to one cruise line. Personally, I feel they miss out on what the others offer. That's why I've never had any desire to be loyal to one cruise line.

 

Just wondering if ROBOTIC bartenders charge gratuities? LOL

[fshagan]

How do you view the NCL Brand?

 

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

 

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

 

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you check out first when booking a cruise?

 

Feel free to be honest and veer off topic. I will chime in after seeing some of your response so that I don't bias the responses.

 

Our experience is with Disney, Princess and NCL. We enjoy NCL for pricing, Freestyle dining, and the more casual atmosphere. We consider it the lower tier of the three brands we have experience with, with Princess edging out NCL for class and Disney being closer to a premium experience. Pricing is reflective of our feelings.

 

In general, without specific experience, I consider NCL a mass market line that is on par with RCL and Carnival based on conversations I've had with others. When considering the price and itinerary among those three (that is often comparable) NCL usually wins out because of Freestyle. For us, that's the differentiation that matters.

 

We find food on NCL on a par with Princess, although Princess does a much better job of food presentation (if that matters to you). Disney food is superior to both for us.

 

Disney entertainment is usually very very good, but it is all Disney all the time, so you can get tired of that. NCL's entertainment is usually very good, with live music throughout the ship and pretty good musical / variety shows in the main theater (I'm excluding the mega-ships and their Broadway style shows). Princess had the worst entertainment when we stopped sailing the line (along with the most atrocious beds, which I understand they are swapping out after firing the head of hotel operations, Tomás de Torquemada).

 

Service on all three lines has been great. As hospitality companies, I think cruise lines do a fantastic job.

[AKR2011]

I admit that I have become loyal to NCL. I do look at cruises on other lines, but when I compare, NCL still gives me the best value, and I always know that I will receive incredible service. It doesn't matter that I stay in an inside room. The staff always treat me incredibly well and go out of their way to get to know me as a guest. So when they offer cruise vouchers with a $100 onboard credit, I go ahead and buy one. Then I know I'll have to cruise with NCL within 4 years. It doesn't stop me from looking at other lines, and I have almost jumped ship, but I am always happy with all of my NCL experiences. I have a goal of getting to be Platinum someday!

[SeaShark]

Just wondering if ROBOTIC bartenders charge gratuities? LOL

 

For what its worth...yes, they actually do.

[Aquahound]

How do you view the NCL Brand?

 

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

 

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

 

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you check out first when booking a cruise?

 

On a scale of 1-10, and compared to other cruise lines, my ratings would be: Food 3, Entertainment 8, Shows 7, Value 8, Service 5

 

Compared to all other cruise lines, I see NCL as being on the low end. I don't mean that in a derogatory way. But the fact is, it's lower priced and family oriented. By comparison, I would put Princess, HAL and Celebrity in the mid tier and the luxury lines in the upper crust.

 

I don't really have a go-to line anymore.

[CruisinHarvey]

let me state my baseline.

still new to cruising. 4 on Celebrity, 1 on Princess & 1 on NCL.

I see NCL in 3rd place. X in 1st with Princess a close 2nd.

Our NCL cruise was a family cruise on Breakaway in Dec 2014.

Disappointed that it didn't offer FREE nightly shows in the main theater. I did like the club entertainment. Dueling Pianos being my fav. NOT a fan of free style dining. Not having the same wait-staff each night drops the quality. Balcony's were very small.

So after all that, one would think I would never sail NCL again. Not so. We just booked a Transatlantic on Breakaway for April. Leaving from NYC is easy for us. Sunday departure / commute is a breeze. If Bliss would have arrived on a weekend we would have done the West bound TA on Bliss. IMVHO Breakaway's TA has better port calls than Bliss. Why is it sailing to Nova Scotia (too far North) that time of year? Bermuda would have been better.

Our last cruise was a TA on Celebrity Eclipse in April. Great way to relax with the long leg of sea days. If Celebrity was leaving out of NYC for a TA I would have booked with them. Living in Patriots Nation (Go Tom Brady) not having to fly to Florida made the difference to me.

 

Just read your comments. I'm a little confused about the Free shows in the theater. While they repeat Broadway shows, so everyone gets a chance to see them, all the shows in the theater are free. You also didn't like the balconies.You sailed on one of the two NCL ships with balconies that small. The Getaway is the other.

[Maraprince]

My Response:

 

 

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

IMO food quality has decreased from what it used to be on NCL due to the higher number of passengers who they must prepare food for. Strongly suggested that you reserve speciality dinners prior to sailing along with MDRs meals -- not really my definition of "free style". Let me strongly state that I am not a fan of free style dining. I like having the dining staff, dinner companions and the same dining time nightly. Miss the companionship with which to discuss what I did ashore or on board and having wait staff know what I like with my meals.

 

Entertainment is still very good. However, I dislike the fact that you need to make reservations to see the shows on Breakaway even before you board the ship. On Breakaway you need to descend lots of steps to get to the middle of the theatre where on other lines you are able to enter via multiple levels/floors. Attruim is used for all types of activities/entertainment and due to limited seating, very hard to get a seat for most of it since there are "seat hogs" who never vacate!!!!

 

Hard to enjoy activities that are: (1) overcrowded, (2) overcrowded with kids, (3) adults behaving badly (drunk). Most of the venues are too small for the amount of passengers.

 

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

While NCL positions itself pricewise mid tier, value/service wise IMO it is more low end.

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you check out first when booking a cruise? No.

 

Prior to freesyle NCL was a good deal due to their pricing and service. Now it would have to be a destination that I really want or the timing when no other line is available. We used to be a party of 3 now we are only 2 and pricing becomes very important since we normally take more than one cruise per year. Promos are for free 3 or 4 which does not help us at all. Also, with the new bidding system it is almost impossible to get a paid upgrade. For example, if we were not able to get a mid-ship balcony cabin in the past we would watching pricing and if it came down enough to upgrade, we paid the difference. Now, you have to do the bidding process and have no say in the cabin location.

I am Platinum on NCL, Diamond on RCCL, Platinum on Carnival, Princess. So, I have taken a "few" cruises that I can compare the NCL offerings with.

 

Something seems to be missing from NCL sailings -- can't exactly pinpoint what it is. However, we seem to have more fun on Carnival/Princess ships and get to participate in more things on board. By comparison, NCL seems to be more focused on kids/family than other lines who have better children's programs.

 

Again, my opinions only.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

[Cuizer2]

How do you view the NCL Brand?

 

How would you rate the food? Entertainment? Shows? Value? Service?

 

Do you see it as a low end, mid tier, or upper crust brand?

 

What are some particular reasons you choose NCL over its competitors? Is it your go to cruise line you check out first when booking a cruise?

 

Feel free to be honest and veer off topic. I will chime in after seeing some of your response so that I don't bias the responses.

 

If you are in a regular cabin, NCL is on par with Carnival and Royal Caribbean. If you are in a suite, NCL is better than Royal Caribbean and much better than Carnival.

 

The food and service in the free restaurants is about three stars. The food and service in the optional extra cost restaurants is about four stars. The shows are on par with Carnival and Royal Caribbean. The value is on par with Carnival and ahead of Royal Caribbean. The service is on par with Carnival and not as good as Royal Caribbean.

 

NCL is a family friendly mass market line, just like Carnival, Disney, and Royal Caribbean. Carnival has very few cruises over eight nights on NCL. I've taken three cruises on NCL going for eight, thirteen and eleven nights. I have two more booked, but one is five nights and one is one week. Royal Caribbean also offers longer cruises. I enjoy the longer cruises.

 

I have been through the Panama Canal twice. Once was a full transit through the Panama Canal traveling from the Pacific to the Caribbean. The other was a partial transit. Both times I had a suit with a forward facing balcony. The ONLY way to travel in the Panama Canal is with a forward facing balcony (in my opinion). The fact that these are mild level suites and the fact that NCL does suites right was just an added bonus.

 

Basically the first time I choose NCL was to find out what it was like. The last two time it was because I wanted a forward facing balcony cabin.

 

My next cruise on NCL is one week in a regular balcony cabin. The cruise after that is in a Haven Suite. Most of my cruises have been on Royal Caribbean, but lately Royal Caribbean has been going downhill in customer service (in my opinion). So I want to check out NLC because I like the longer cruises and I want to see if Haven is as great as everyone claims.

 

Here are links to my last two NCL cruise reviews. I don't have a link to the earlier Mexican Riviera cruise. However, I was impressed enough to book two more long cruises on NCL based on my experience on that 2005 cruise on the NCL Star ...

 

NCL Jade ...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=729935

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=728733

 

NCL Pearl ...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2439655

 

NCL Jade ...

 

 

 

NCL Pearl ...

 

 

NCL Star

[davy jones]

Just wondering if ROBOTIC bartenders charge gratuities? LOL

 

Sadly, the gratuity is added to the bill.